Tex, Japan, woven. Under-kimono (nagajuban) of undyed gauze weave silk (ro); Shōwa period

Given by Sarah Brooks in memory of her mother Bernice Eileen (Wiese) Boo

This kimono ensemble belonged to Bernice Eileen Boo (1930-2010). Brought up on a small farm in Spencer, Iowa, she became a teacher of music for the US Department of Defense. She subsequently travelled the world teaching music, English, and other subjects to the children of families living on military bases. She taught at the Narimasu High School, Grant Heights, Tokyo, Japan, from 1957-1959, which is when she probably acquired this outfit which consists of a summer kimono (hitoe), obi (sash), obi-pad (obimakura), under-sash, under-kimono (nagajuban), underwear (hadajuban and susuyoke), shoes (zori) and sock (tabi), together with a wrapping cloth (furoshiki).

Kimono are worn with an under-kimono (nagajuban) of similar shape as the main kimono, but without the overlap sections, and of slightly smaller size. Under-kimono were often quite colourful but this example, designed to be unobtrusive under a kimono of the same gauze weave fabric (FE.35-2015), is undyed.

FE.38-2015